Gosh its Thursday Already

February 4, 2010
filed under: Family

WOW where has the week gone?

I think this semesters school load and life here at home is taking a lot longer than I would like to settle into some form of schedule. One would think that having class only on Monday and Wednesday would not be that difficult…. but I also added into the mix a moms group meeting (which I am really loving).. so basically Monday through Wednesday is really starting to blur together.

Though this week things have improved, as I have seem what has not worked the past 2 weeks and have made changes.

Even though we are back in the craziness of life again I can honestly say we are having fun. Emmy loves Awanas, Matt has enjoyed his youth group and has played in pep band a few times over the past few weeks. He also reconnected with an old friend who moved away several years ago.

Time moves on so quickly and changes so fast, we still need to step back from time to time and enjoy the moment.

Now I need to prepare for 2 field trips for 2 kids to the same place on 2 different days…… Matt’s middle school is going there bowing and such on Friday and Emmy’s Awanas is having a party there on Saturday…. this just makes me laugh because Matt will need to take her roller skating since I am in no way going to get on skates…. uh I value my backside way to much….

Lazy Saturday

November 14, 2009
filed under: Fall 2009, Family

So today was pretty much a do nothing stay at home day.  Well Matt played games on his computer, and probably blew off his Ferris wheel history project.  Emmy played around all day with her things.  While I worked on my re-design for the site.  This is really going at a much slower rate than I would like, but it is coming along.

Tomorrow the kids will spend the afternoon with my dad while my mom and I go to a play, the first play I’ve been to in probably 10 years.  I have no idea even what we are going to see, but it will be nice to get out for the day. Emmy will enjoy the music program that they are having at my parents library, and Matt will hopefully appreciate and enjoy the Ferris Wheel model my dad got him.

With how busy things can be I really do appreciate these lazy days, next weekend wont be one.  Matt is swimming Friday, Saturday and Sunday so it will be a long weekend.

Battle of the Chores!

November 10, 2009
filed under: Fall 2009, Family

In our home keeping on top of things has usually fallen to me, why should the kids do anything when they know that eventually I will get tired of the mess and clean it up myself.  Well these days I am too busy and too tired to continue with that attitude. So last week we implemented new rules in regards to chores, yes I still do the majority of the work- that will change with time but I figured we would start out small.

There are 3 simple rules in the house now that everyone must follow, if they do not then that person will receive a punishment chore.  These are the 3 basic rules that we all must follow.

1. Take care of your own hygiene (teeth, body, brain type things).
2. Do your assigned chore (Matt garbage, Emmy recycling,  Me the rest).
3. pick up after yourself.

Pretty simple, but when you look in depth I think it covers everything.  They need to take care of themselves, their living environment and and do one specified extra chore.

Last week Matt didn’t complete his chore, so he had to clean out the upstairs hall bathroom- didn’t take long and was something that needed doing. Over time I think I will get a project like that done every week from him, since he constantly forgets his chore.  But to get on the computer the next day he must complete his chore plus the punishment chore.

Last night Emmy didn’t take the recycling out, its always placed in the same spot on the kitchen counter top.  So today after school she took the recycling out and made sure that all the bathrooms were stocked with toilet paper.

The extra chores are quick, something that needs to be done and age appropriate. This is an implementation that Matt’s ADHD Dr suggested some time ago, and I think it will work. Eventually I will have a chore jar filled with the punishment chores,  1 for Emmy and 1 for Matt.  But till then we will tackle what needs to be done first.

Majorly Stressed….

November 9, 2009
filed under: 2009, Family

These days I am just so stressed, with the kids dad losing his job my bit of child support is history but what hurts the most is the lost of insurance.  Especially with Matt’s ADHD and his meds.   The loss of the $$ hurts, but  that can be gotten around by tightening the budget and using the eBay funds I had hope to use for some extras instead  it will go to necessities.

School and kids while going well individually but added together  they are starting to be a challenge.  I so wish that their father would step up and see/talk or just take them for awhile every other week.  I think what I need the most is a break,  or even better a vacation. 

A trip here for a week would get things settled out. Oh well I can dream, that at least is free.

Healthy Eating

November 8, 2009
filed under: Fall 2009, Family, Food, Health

I have really been thinking about this lately, for some obvious reasons.  First off, because I could really stand to loose some weight and also because I think that eating healthier would be a big benefit to Matt, and would also be good for Emmy too. Right now both kids are on the slim slender size, but with the amount of exercise (swimming and running mainly) that Matt does he could stand to also improve his diet.  Both kids as you might assume like to eat candy and drink soda.

So for now I think that it is a really good idea to research Healthy eating and to start slowly implementing some changes into how we handle things here.

For right now I think that these are the steps I am going to take initially, I got this list over at Kids Health website:

1. Have regular family meals.
2. Serve a variety of healthy foods and snacks.
3. Be a role model by eating healthy yourself.
4. Avoid battles over food.
5. Involve kids in the process

Its a first step and I think its a good one.